TED Talks Daily A different way to measure success in health care | Andrew Bastawrous
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Feb 6, 2026 
Andrew Bastawrous, an eye surgeon and founder of Peek Vision who builds smartphone tools to expand global eye care. He questions when speed and efficiency in health systems cost human connection. Conversations cover redesigning metrics to reward remembering patients, trials that prioritize compassion, task-shifting to free specialists, and simple practices that make care feel more humane.
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Listening Changed One Patient's Life
- Andrew Bastawrous describes a late-arriving cataract patient who confided she'd been caring for a daughter with cancer for four years.
- He spent ten minutes listening and later learned the patient valued being seen more than regaining sight.
Systems, Not People, Drive Care Quality
- Scaling healthcare can unintentionally prioritize speed over compassion, creating perverse incentives.
- Bastawrous argues environments, not people, often prevent caregivers from acting compassionately.
Measure Stories, Not Just Numbers
- Change KPIs from throughput metrics to human-centered measures like remembering patients' stories.
- Expect fewer daily screenings but higher treatment uptake and stronger trust.